Earring clip



Nov. 20, 1945. M. CHERNOW 2,389,295

EARRING CLIP Filed June 2, 1945 V II/111114 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS PatentedNov. 20, 1945 UNI TED STAT E S PAT ENT GFFI'CE.

EARRING CLIP Michael Chernow, New York, N. Y. Application June 2, 1943,Serial No. 489,327

2 Claims.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an earringclip of extraordinarily simple and inexpensive construction whichdispenses with the need for screws or other adjustable parts, and whichsecurely retains the earring in position upon the earlobe, yet withoutdiscomfort and, in fact, without the user even being aware of anypressure.

In the accompanying drawing, in which are shown one or more of variouspossible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a rear view of an earring bearing the clip,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clip,

Fig. 4 is a view in transverse cross-section taken on line 4-4 of Fig.2, and

Fig. 5 is a, perspective view on a smaller scale showing the earring inplace on the earlobe.

Referring now to the drawing, the earring clip comprises an integralstamping of suitable metal, desirably of an appropriate soft alloy. Atthe present time gold-plated silver alloy is being used for the purpose.The clip preferably comprises a rectangular strip I having a roundedhairpin turn II and having opposed bowl-shaped enlargements I2 and 13 atits opposite ends. Enlargement I2 is desirably a flat circular bowl, theconvexity of which is at the inner surface. That bowl serves as themount for the earring proper. In the case of a metal earring (not shown)the bowl would preferably be soldered in place thereon, the solder beingcontained in the bowl l2. For application to the non-metallic, plasticor ceramic earring, such as illustratively shown at I4 in the drawing,the bowl [2 preferably has an axial tongue l struck therefrom as at [6and fitting into a corresponding depression I! in the earring,appropriate cement l8 being desirably interposed between the bowl andthe earring.

The opposed enlargement l3 at the opposite end of the clip is preferablyspoon-shaped, as shown. The forward part of the spoon-bowl is sharplytapered as at 19 but rounded at its extremity as at 20. The convexity ofthe spoon at the inner face thereof is preferably aligned in acontinuous curve with the curvature of the strip 10 as best shown inFig. 2. Desirably, the center points of the convex bowls at oppositeends of the clip are in alignment, as shown, for adequate clampingengagement with the earlobe as hereinafter set forth.

Preferably, the face of the strip has impressed therein as at 2| along amajor part of its length,

suitable indicia such as the name of the manufacturer, or otherinformation or, if desired, a suitable design may be so impressed alongsaid strip. Such impression is effected desirably in the originalblanking out of the clip and prior to imparting thereto the U-turn I ldisclosed. The forceful impression into the face or surface of the stripresults in stiffening the soft metal, so as to enhance the resiliencythereof and facilitate imparting the desired smooth round U-turn llthereto in bending the strip into its final form.

Desirably the length of the strip after the same has been curved intoits final position is given a sharp edgewise blow by a suitable mallet(not shown). Such blow, as best shown in Fig. 4, results in compressingthe metal of the strip edgewise and in thereby forming the shoulders 22on the shank ends of the respective bowls l2 and 13. As a result of suchcompression blow the strip is flattened at its edges to impart an I-beamcrosssection thereto, as shown somewhat exaggerated at 23 in Fig. 4. Thestiffness resulting from impression 2| is thus further enhanced and thestrip has the requisite resiliency for the desired earlobe clampingaction to be set forth.

The earring will ordinarily be sold with the bowl ends of the clipsspaced by a distance suitable for practically all earlobes. The clip isapplied to the earlobe by slipping the same on in a horizontal directionas shown in Fig. 5, immediately at the point 24 where the earlobe meetsthe face. .The outwardly bent end of the spoonshaped bowl serves as alead-in to cause the free end of the clip readily to cam out slightlyover the thickened rim of the earlobe. The earring is pushed on'untilthe U-turn end ll of the clip is arrested by the edge of the earlobe, asshown. At that time the bowl ends of the clip will re.- siliently engageth thin midsection of the lobe and will maintain the earring securely inposition, for the resilient clip would have to be spread slightly beforeit could be passed over the thickened rim of the earlobe. Thus theearring is readily applied and maintained in position securely, withoutnoticeable pressure upon the earlobe.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An earring clip comprising a unitary blank of soft metal having astrip with a rounded U- turn, said strip having opposed bowl-shapedenlargements at its opposite ends and serving for clamping an earlobetherebetween, substantially the entire length of said strip between saidenlargements being of I-beam cross-section, thereby to impart resiliencyand stifiness thereto.

2. An earring clip comprising a unitary blank of soft metal having astrip with a rounded U- turn, said strip having opposed bowl-shapedenlargements at its opposite ends and serving for clamping an earlobetherebetween, the length of said strip having indicia impressed therein,substantially the entire length of said strip between said enlargementsbeing of I-beam cross-section, thereby to impart resiliency andstiffness thereto.

MICHAEL CHERNOW.

